Neb. lawmakers advance bill to study 911 system

Nebraska lawmakers are moving ahead with a proposed study of 911 services.

Lawmakers granted first-round approval to a bill Tuesday that would initiate a state review of the new emergency technology.

Nebraska is looking at ways to harness its 911 services so dispatchers can gather more information, whether it's video footage of a crime in progress or a cellphone photo of a car crash.

State officials also want to make sure they're ready for 911 texting services that will arrive by next year at the latest. AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon have agreed to make emergency texting available to more than 90 percent of U.S. cellphone users by May 2014.

The bill was introduced by Sen. Scott Price, of Bellevue.

Copyright 2013 by The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.